The Dallas Cowboys have sent shockwaves through the NFL with their recent decision to interview offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer for their head coaching vacancy.
The news became even more surprising when rumors surfaced that “an offer could be coming soon” for the veteran coordinator.
Many around the league are questioning why the Cowboys – a team often labeled as the most prominent franchise in sports – would consider hiring a head coach who hasn’t attracted significant interest elsewhere, particularly after a disappointing 2024 season.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport shed some light on the situation during a segment on From The Insiders, discussing the rationale behind the interview and the financial factors that could influence the decision.
“Where they are right now is they are interviewing Brian Schottenheimer. I don’t get a sense that anything is done or iminent, famous last words, but that is where it stands right now,” Rapoport reported.
“But obviously, they’ve only interviewed four candidates now, including him; that goes to show how real it is.
“Now there are some other things they are clearly waiting on; could they be waiting for Kellen Moore to finish up with the playoffs? For sure they could, but to me at the very least, this feels real.”
Rapoport pointed to Schottenheimer’s track record as a potential selling point, noting that he has previously been viewed as a viable head coaching candidate in the league.
“If I were to try to explain why this interview makes some sense, I would say one, what you just said, there have been plenty of times when Brian Schottenheimer has been a hot head coaching candidate,” Rapoport continued.
“He’s got a really good resume, not just as an offensive coordinator, I know people look at the numbers, but as a leader and someone who can keep up the culture that the Cowboys have.
“Familiarity would be there as well, for instance, if you are someone who likes Dak Prescott having a ton of success on offense, you’d have a lot of continuity and some similar offensive schemes before.
“And then look, I know we’ve talked about this, but it’s definitely a thought that for Jerry Jones, does he really want to pay top dollar for a head coach? This probably wouldn’t be that; it’s at least something the Cowboys are exploring and we’ll see what direction they go.”
While Rapoport made some solid points about why Jones would consider Schottenheimer, many Cowboys fans are hung up on the nugget that cheapness could play a factor in his ultimate decision.
Dallas has the longest conference title drought in the entire NFC and fans are quickly losing patience.
Jones’ reported net worth is $17.3 billion. In other words, Cowboys fans don’t want to hear about any sort of reluctance to pay an elite salary to an elite coach.
What are your thoughts on the reports that Jones’ final decision could very well come down to Schottenheimer and Moore?
In a perfect world, who do YOU think should be the Cowboys’ next head coach???
